Phonograph record



May 22, 1923.

W. C. HADLEY PHONOGRAPH RECO D Filed July 20. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1W/T/VESSES By W . ATTORNEYS Patented May 22, 1923.-

wamnn o. HADLEY, or Krona, n.

, rnono'eaarn mm. 1

Application filed July 20, 1921, Serial No. 486,150.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER C. HADLEY, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Phonogra h Record, of which the following isa ful clear, and exact'description.

The present invention relates to phonograph records and moreparticularly to phonograph records provided with means co-operating withthe tone arm to actuate the brake or stop.

As is well known to those skilled in this art, many phonographs areequipped w1th automatic stops, the one most generally employedcomprising a rigid post projecting downwardly from the tone arm inposition to engage a trip or movable member which in turn operates abrake member. In such devices the movable member is set or adjusted foreach record, such adjustment being determined by swinging the tone arminwardly and positioning the point of the needle approximately at theend of the re producing surface on the record, and while the tone arm isheld in this position, the

movable member of the automatic sto i is set by being placed in contactwith the rigid post projecting from the tone arm. Of course in makingthis adjustment care must be taken to position the needle accuratelywith relation to the end of the reproducing surface of the record, butno matter how much care may be exercised, it is almost impossible toaccurately position the end of the needle so as to effect the operationof the brake and stop at the desired oint, and thps it happens that thestop will he operated at times before the end of the record is reachedor for such a to produce a disagreeab e scratchingof the needle. In suchdevices also after setting the stop with the exercise of considerablecare, the brake member makes a decided on the release in starting, thusthe set point is advanced a varying distance; in most cases, severalrevolutions, which re sults many times in stopping before the end of thereproducing surface isreached, or if an effort be made to allow for thejump it may not stop soon enough after completing the record. It isquite diflicult moreover to bring the rigid post on the tone arm againstthe complementary part of the auto matio stop in exactly the desiredposition riod thereafter as and if the adjustment be most carefullymade, it is often disarranged by the accidental movement of the tone armin starting the operation of the machine. As before stated, it is quitedifiicultto procure accurate, definite setting of the automatic stop andwith the utmost care, the operation of the stop will vary many turns ofthe record because the variation in the construction of the stop indifferent machines of like make, due to the stiffness of action or wearof parts or otherwise, will cause a variation in the operation of thestop.

It has been proposed to provide phono graph records w1th anon-reproducing groove constituting a continuation of the groove of thereproducing surface of the record, such non-reproducing groove being ata different and sharper angle designed to impart a relatively qulckmovement inward of the needle and tone arm and ending in a circulargroove where no stop or brake is used, but such additional groove hasbeen found to be ineffective unless the lines are relatively closetogether and it is found in practice that the needle constantly jumpsout of the groove without operating the stop.

The object of the resent invention is to provide a'phonograp recordwhich may be used on any of the well known phonograph machines providedwith an automatic stop, so constructed that it may possible toaccurately set the stop mechanism to be operated at a definite pointandhaving been once set it may be permanently locked and operate withany record emtbodying my invention no matter what the width of thereproducingsurface may be.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a phonographrecord with a stop actuating element so constructed an-l so positionedthat regardless of the area covered by the reproducing surface, theuniversal stopwill be operated positively and accurately in allsuchrecords shortly after the needle passes from the reproducing surface,and so that a plurality of records may be played without the necesityof. resetting the stop mechanism after each record.

A further object is to provide a phonograph record with means wherebythe needle after it-leaves the reproducing surface will be given arelatively uick lateral movement towards the center of the record, thusmoving the tone arm and insuring thepperation of the stop mechanism;

To the above ends, the. present invention consists of a record for soundreproduction having a section adapted to be engaged by a movable stylusand provided -with sound reproducing means, and a stop actuating sectionadapted to receive the stylus after it passes from the first section,the stop actuating section defining the limits of movement of the styluswithin which limits the stylus is operative to actuate an automatic stopdevice; and it further consists of the devices and combinations ofdevices which will be hereinafter described and claimed- The inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows aplan view of a disc record embodying the present invention.

- Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in 4 is a section on the line 4-1: of

Figure 5.

Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 in Fi re 5. a Figure 8 is asection on the line 8-8 in Figure 9 is a top plan view of a portion ofa-disc record illustrating another modification.

' Figure 10 is a topplan view of a disc record illustrating anothermodification.

Figure 11 is a section on the line 11-11 in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a-section on the line 12-12 in Figure 10.-

' Figure 13 1s a top plan view of a portion of a disc recordillustrating another modification.

Figure 14" is a section on the line 14-1-l in Figure 13.

"Similar reference characters will be employed to designatecorresponding parts.

. In the drawings, I have illustrated my invention as applied to a discrecord 1 having the-usual grooved surface 2 constituting the soundreproducing surface, and as is well known to those skilled in this art,is in the form of grooves into which the point of the needle or styluscarried by the tone arm of a phonograph is adapted to be engaged, and assuch grooved lines are formed spirally, the rotation of the record 1causes the nee-- dle or stylus and the tone arm to gradually move fromthe outer periphery of the section 2 to the inner periphery thereof.This operation is well understood by those skilled in this art and neednot be further set forth. In all of the records illustrated no matterwhat -may be the width of the reproducing section 2, it is intended thatthere shall be a stop actuating groove 3 positioned at the sameflpointwith relation to the central spindle opening 4. This groove is similarin every record and as shown, it is provided with a beveled surface 5which leads in from the upper surface 6 of the record to a shoulder 7,which has a" redetermined position, the same in all recor s. Theshoulder 7 preferably defines the area of the central section .8 of therecords. Usually the central section 8 is provided with a label 9 onwhich appears a suitable legend. giving the name of the manufacturer andother information. The stop actuating groove 3 is a circular endlessgroove, but at some int in its circumference, it is provided with anentrance 10 whereby the stylus may ass into the said groove. As soon asthe sty us or needle thus passes into the actuating'groove 3 andassuming that the automatic stop operated by the tone arm has beenproperly set, the inclined surface 5 will impart a quick motion to thestylus and the tone arm, the stylus moving towards the centre of therecord and will actuate the automatic stop. The actuating groove 3 whichmay be defined as a stop or brake actuating section, may be of any widthand is of substantial wldth, so that it may form a ide readilydiscernible and found for setting the automatic stop, for if the pointof the needle on the stylus is positioned at any point within the widthof the actuating groove, and the brake orstopadjusted for operation withthe needle, 1 within that width, then obviously no matter what thelength of the record may be or what size or how wide the reproduclngsurfaceor section, if the needle or stylus be moved into the actuatinggroove or section, 105 it will at once bring into operation theautomatic stop. Obviously, the actuating groove may have its entrance 10positioned in close proximity to the end of the reproducing surface orsection 2 and the needle or stylus directed therein from the soundproducing groove, but the actuating groove 3 may be made relativelynarrow as shown and a leading-in groove 11 providedto engage the needleor stylus as it leaves the sound producing groove and quickly lead itthrough the opening 10 into the actuating groove 3.

,In Figure 1 this leadin -in groove 11 is shown as a relatively quicacting hook or Y horn which connects with the sound pro- 1 ducinggrooves. at 12 and quickly leads the needle into groove 3 through theopening 10. In Figure 5 the sound producing section 2 is relativelynarrower than that shown in Figure 1 and consequently the leading-in 2groove 11 will be a somewhat longer spiral hook or horn which at itsouter end may be connected by a line or groove 13 with the soundproducing groove surface 2.

In Figure 9 means for leading the needle 3 or stylus into the actuatinggroove 3 may be, as shown, a spiral groove 14 leading at 15 from thesound producing section 2 in a relatively quick spiral to the entrance10 of the actuating groove 3.

In Figure 10 the sound producing surface is relatively wide and a spiralgroove 16 leading at 17 from the sound producing surface leads theneedle into a relatively short leading-in groove 11. In Figure 13 agroove 18 connects at 19 with the sound producing surface and leads theneedle into such a position that it will, be engaged by the spiralleading-in groove 11. In other words, while the groove 18 does notconnect with the leading-in groove 11, yet it will place the point ofthe needle in such position that the leading-in groove 11 will engage itand throw it quickly into the actuating groove 3.

In operation all that the operator need do is to place the point of theneedle at any position in the groove 3, hold it there and set theautomatic brake for operation at that point. Having set the brake, if alocking device is provided it may be locked or if a number of recordshaving the present invention are to be played, the same adjustment willaffect the operation of the brake in all records of this type and itwill be unnecessary to reset the brake for a new record. This is animportant advantage for ob viously the actuating groove may be ofvarying Widths and in all cases of relatively large area. Havingpositioned the needle and adjusted the stop or brake, when the needlepasses ofl the reproducing surface, it will in a very short travel ofthe record be led into the actuating surface and the machine will beinstantly stopped or within a. very short interval after the soundceases or after the needle passes off of the reproducing surface.

While in every form of the device I have shown the actuating groove asrelatively narrow and furthermore as provided with a leading-in groove,obviously assuming a relatively wide reproducing surface and arelatively wide actuating groove, the entrance within which limitsleading from the reproducing surface to the actuating groove may leaddirectly therein.

The inner margin of the stop actuating groove presents a shoulder 7which has a fixed and pre-determined position on all the recordsmanufactured under the present invention. This shoulder permits thesetting of the stop or brake with great ease even if the phonographshould be used in a dim light or in the dark, for it is easy to locatethe proper position for the stylus to actuate the brake or stop bybringing the stylus into contact with the shoulder 7 then moving it aslight distance away from the same, and then setting the stop or brake.

I claim- 1. In a record for sound reproduction, a section thereofadapted to receive a movable stylus and having predetermined limits,within which limits the stylus is operative to actuate an automatic stopdevice, said section having the bottom thereof inclined with respect tothe plane of the record whereby it serves to give the stylus a rapidradial movement.

2. A record for sound reproduction, having a section adapted to beengaged by a movable stylus and provided with sound reproducing groove,and a section adapted to receive the stylus from said'first section andhaving means for operating the stylus to actuate an automatic stopdevice, the said second section having a pre-determined position withrespect to said record, said means of said second section including aninclined surface and a marginal shoulder.

3. In a record for sound reproduction, a. section thereof adapted stylusand having pre-determined limits, the stylus is operative to actuate anautomatic stop device, said section having the bottom thereof inclinedwith respect to the plane of the record whereby it serves to give the,stylus a rapid radial movement, and a circular stop or shoulderadjoining the inner edge of the stop actuating section.

WALTER C. HADLEY.

to receive a movable

